I have a question. I work for a small service that runs about 3400 calls per year between two trucks. 28 percent of our calls are after 11pm. We are not allowed to lay down during the day at all. Not even to lay in the recliner. This seems to be very dangerous, seeing how many calls we run at night. Is this a common practice? Just curious how the rest of the EMS world works.
Downtime
- Thread starter okie117
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Wheel
Forum Asst. Chief
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As long as chores are completed sometime during the day and we answer the radio, no one cares if we sleep. I usually catch a nap at some point during the day if we get slow.
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It's encouraged for us to sleep during the day, but we're very busy and some of our medics run all night long.
mycrofft
Still crazy but elsewhere
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We had 24hr shifts in USAF FD and no one was allowed into the racks (beds) during the day except to go to a locker. NO sleeping during the day.
titmouse
aspiring needlefairy
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I just worked my first over night shift and we got posted at 0430 nearby a hospital and managed to catch some Zs got an ALS call around 6 and got cleared at seven.
Anjel
Forum Angel
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3400 calls a year!? That is roughly 4 calls per truck. 8 calls a day.
That doesn't seem all that busy. Sleep before you go to work. How long are your shifts?
We do 3400 calls a month.
That doesn't seem all that busy. Sleep before you go to work. How long are your shifts?
We do 3400 calls a month.
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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sounds like my old job. the supervisors would wake you up, just to wake you up.
the logic was, you are paid to be at work, not sleep.
Trashtruck
Forum Captain
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Our trucks do anywhere between roughly 6,000-8,500 runs each per year, depending on if you're at a 'slow' or busy assignment. Suffice it to say, it is busy.
In the little downtime you may have, you can do whatever you want...just don't get comfortable.
In the little downtime you may have, you can do whatever you want...just don't get comfortable.
the_negro_puppy
Forum Asst. Chief
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What garbage, naps have been proven to help reduce fatigue. As long as you don't have anything else to do it is ridiculous that you have to be awake for the sake of being awake.
We have recliners, bedrooms and even a PS3. We do not have to do many chores and our down time we are free to do what we like
We have recliners, bedrooms and even a PS3. We do not have to do many chores and our down time we are free to do what we like
DesertMedic66
Forum Troll
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When I was at the fire department they would work 96 hours.
From 8am-5pm was either training, book work, station duties. After 5pm was relax time (watch TV, play games, sleep). After 11pm was lights out (had to be in your room. You could still watch TV or play games or surf the Internet).
From 8am-5pm was either training, book work, station duties. After 5pm was relax time (watch TV, play games, sleep). After 11pm was lights out (had to be in your room. You could still watch TV or play games or surf the Internet).
Not common and quite honestly fairly stupid. Usually a sign of an organizational culture that's more interested in reliving the "wooden ships and iron men" days than actually promoting safety.
In fairness, that wooden ships and iron men culture came from services you were permitted to sleep at but not going to because you were running 14+ calls in 24 hours per truck.
It was and where it is still continued, especially with SSM, extremely dangerous.
But as I often profess, a flag, a wreath, and some flowers are cheaper than safe operations.
mycrofft
Still crazy but elsewhere
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My FD
If you were training or performing essential work as a crew, you were exempted from polishing floors etc above the minimum needed. After the day shift, downtime (1800 to 0600) except alarm room operator (not a member of the shift exactly, rotating 8 hr shifts) and whomever was out on the flightline inspecting and scouting (ramp patrol).
As responders to EMS, any fire alarm activation, any structural or crash ring-out at any locaton on or off base (we had an offbase housing area), Rescue 6 was always busy.
If you were training or performing essential work as a crew, you were exempted from polishing floors etc above the minimum needed. After the day shift, downtime (1800 to 0600) except alarm room operator (not a member of the shift exactly, rotating 8 hr shifts) and whomever was out on the flightline inspecting and scouting (ramp patrol).
As responders to EMS, any fire alarm activation, any structural or crash ring-out at any locaton on or off base (we had an offbase housing area), Rescue 6 was always busy.